


Three Years Later

by Annariel



Series: Post Season 5 [2]
Category: Primeval
Genre: F/M, Female Protagonist, POV Female Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-21
Updated: 2012-08-21
Packaged: 2017-11-12 14:57:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/492427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annariel/pseuds/Annariel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The anomalies have been quiet for three years but when a creature is sighted near Colwyn Bay Connor and Abby are called away from the quiet of their new life to deal with it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Years Later

**Author's Note:**

> With thanks to fredbassett for beta reading.

The spring breeze sweeping across the field had a chill edge. Abby was forced to plunge her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket and she now wished she had put on her thermal vest that morning. The clear blue sky had had an inviting look and she'd forgotten the cold signaled by a cloudless sky in early spring. Steve the vet seemed immune to the cold. He was examining their Mesohippus, Prancer, who had been limping badly since a fall the previous afternoon.

"Well?" she asked anxiously.

"You were right that he's broken a leg. But the splint you've put on is secure. Couldn't have done better myself."

Abby grinned in spite of the cold. "Thanks!"

Steve ran his hands gently along Prancer's neck. "Lucky his legs are so much less specialised than his modern descendants."

Abby grimaced, thinking of a race horse she'd seen euthanized early on in her training. "Yeah, his leg bones seem pretty robust. At least, it didn't feel to me like anything had actually shattered."

Steve nodded. "I agree, it's a clean break and I mean it when I say you did a really good job. You won't be needing me much longer. How long before you qualify?"

"Another two years. Doing the degree part time slows things down. You're not out of a job yet!"

Steve smiled. "I'll miss this lot when you do qualify. It's certainly a unique set up you've got here."

"Yeah! Best job in the world."

They headed back to the farmhouse in companionable silence. The government had bought the farm, nestled discreetly in the Cumbrian hills. It was too far north for the fashionable lakes and the area was largely deserted. It made the perfect home for what was left of the ARC's menagerie. Most of the reptiles had to be kept indoors in custom hot houses, but on sunny days they could go outside. Meanwhile the larger mammals could be out most of the year and Monty the Mammoth was in his element.

The locals had, of course, long ago guessed at least part of what was going on. But a rash of anomalies in the area a few years' previously and a certain tribal loyalty even to incomers like Connor and Abby, served to keep the place quiet. Abby liked it there. She felt a part of something while, at the same time, being allowed plenty of space to be her own person. Connor tolerated it, though even he had become fond of the wide open spaces and the ability to just walk. Neither of them had fully re-adapted to city living after their year in the Cretaceous.

The kettle was boiling on the AGA as they walked through the heavy back door of the farmhouse.

"Want a cuppa? I saw you two coming down the track!" offered Connor, by way of explanation.

"A cuppa would be lovely," agreed Steve. 

Connor picked the kettle off the hot plate with a glove and poured the steaming water out into a tea pot. Abby breathed in as the warm scent of brewing tea filled the kitchen.

"How's the temporal physics?" asked Steve. He sat down at the table and began filling in forms as they waited for the tea.

"It would be easier if half of what I knew wasn't classified," grumbled Connor.

"It's going fine. You said it all worked as a theoretical model anyway." Abby ruffled his hair. "He's got a paper in Science," she told Steve proudly.

Connor flushed red. "I'm only like twelfth author or something. It's a lab effort. Not directly related to my research or anything."

"Still it will all help with the thesis," insisted Abby. She began pulling mugs out of a cupboard.

Steve laughed. "I guess we all have to find something to do now the anomalies have gone. Abby's running this place, you're going to be a physicist."

"And you've become the best vet north of Manchester," giggled Abby. Steve had been the ARC's vet when it was up and running. He had been fresh out of training and looking at a career attached to DEFRA at the time. Somewhere along the way he'd decided that a rural practice suited him better.

"I'm certainly the only vet with security clearance and an extensive knowledge of sauropod anatomy and ailments." Steve grinned, reaching for a mug as Connor poured out the tea. "Just as well for you really."

"The anomalies will come back though," insisted Connor.

"That's what you said three years ago when they mothballed the ARC."

"My calculations were a little out, but the model still looks right. This anomaly cycle isn't over yet."

"Well, we all have to make a living in the meantime." Steve gulped his tea and started packing paperwork away in his case, leaving a neat stack of copies for their own records.

"Maybe," said Connor, but he sounded distracted.

Abby shot a glance in his direction and saw that he was staring out of the tiny kitchen window at the hills beyond, but she didn't think he was actually watching anything, just thinking hard.

* * *

As Steve drove away up the muddy farm track in his battered VW Beetle, Abby felt Connor put his arm around her. "About the anomalies coming back," he said.

"What?" She pulled away, recognising the concern in his tone as more than idle speculation. "What's happened Connor?"

"Creature sighting, over near Colwyn Bay. Nothing much to go by, but enough that we got summoned. I got the call just before you and Steve got back from looking at Prancer."

"Summoned?"

Connor shrugged. "Asked our professional opinion. I said I needed to talk to you before we went anywhere."

"Oh Connor!" Abby felt dismayed and she wasn't sure why. She'd been as frustrated as everyone else when the anomalies suddenly stopped appearing but now, settled on the farm with plans for their future, she felt a strange reluctance to get involved again.

"We don't have to go. Becker's still around somewhere and I bet they can rustle up some of the old special forces soldiers who know what they're about."

"Becker's in Belize."

Connor blinked. "When did that happen?"

"It was in his Christmas card."

"Still, we don't owe them anything. We don't have to go."

Abby sighed. "Yes we do. There isn't anyone else who knows half as much about this situation as we do."

"Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel." Connor pulled her into a hug.

* * *

_The Three Tuns_ pub and hotel was a lonely building on a secluded cliff. Abby found it hard to date the building beyond "not ancient, not modern" but then architecture wasn't her strong point. It was squarish and traditional, predominantly red brick. They were five miles from Colwyn Bay but they could have been a hundred. There were five other cars in the car park as they pulled in which suggested the pub was popular enough, even given the deserted location. Abby climbed out of the car and paused, surveying the windswept landscape. The cliff edge was a few hundred yards away and beyond that was the sea.

"A creature could be miles away by now," she said.

Connor just nodded. "Let's find this Home Office guy and see what he has to say."

They headed into the pub. The bar was quiet and gloomy, full of dark furniture and wooden panels. A couple of walkers were sitting on stools drinking pints. The man in a suit in one corner was painfully visible. 

"Mr. Ahmed?" asked Connor.

He glanced up and surprised Abby with how young he looked. "Mr. and Mrs. Temple I presume?" he asked in an accent that could cut glass.

They nodded mutely.

"Jolly good of you to come. Can I order you a drink while I brief you?"

"Orange juice, please," said Abby, aware there was, at the very least, going to be some cliff side scrambling to come.

"Me too."

"Take a look at these pictures while I go to the bar."

The pictures he handed them were blurred, presumably taken with a mobile phone from the top of the cliff. There was the pale expanse of beach and a dull grey for the sea. On the beach, but instinct against the backdrop of the water was something. Connor picked one of the photos up. Abby leaned closer. It was more than "something", it was clearly a large lizard even if the details were unclear.

"It looks pretty convincing," said Abby.

"Yeah, one of the Pachycephalosaurs maybe. That skull looks pretty thick." Connor frowned at the image and turned it upside down thoughtfully, as if hoping it would miraculously come into focus when inverted.

Mr. Ahmed came back with the orange juices. "What do you think?"

"Definitely worth checking out," said Abby.

"But the anomaly detector hasn't picked anything up has it?" queried Connor.

Mr. Ahmed had the decency to look embarrassed. "I'm afraid it got shut down six months ago."

"What?" demanded Abby.

"It hooked into too many private networks of one sort or another. Without an obvious threat no one wanted it there."

"Great!" muttered Connor.

"I've brought some of your old field units with me. I believe you may be able to pick something up with them."

"What about EMDs? Have you got some of those too?" demanded Abby, the creature looked large and she'd no desire to be down on the beach without a gun in her hand.

Mr. Ahmed nodded.

Abby drained her orange juice. "Let's get going then. Might as well get this over and done with."

* * *

Mr. Ahmed who, it turned out, was called Kevin, had driven up from London in a modern Land Rover. Abby was impressed with the amount of kit he'd managed to squeeze into the back. There was a small case of EMDs, an anomaly locking device, several detectors, plus a range of camping gear, a bright pink castle bucket and two spades. Abby grinned at the childrens' toys, but refrained from comment. She selected two of the smaller guns, handed one to Connor and kept the other for herself.

"You ever used a gun?" she asked Ahmed. 

"'Fraid not, old girl."

"You're carrying the locking device then."

"Not taking the bigger guns?"

Abby sighed and glanced at the narrow cliff path. "I think we're better off with the lighter ones, given the amount of scrambling there's going to be. It was difficult to judge scale from that photo but the creature didn't appear to be big big."

"Just, like, normal big, yeah?" asked Connor.

Abby shrugged. "About man-sized anyway. The smaller EMDs should be enough."

Connor picked up one of the detectors and switched it on. It immediately flared into life and started pinging.

"It's an anomaly all right," he said grimly.

Abby's heart sank. So the anomalies _were_ back.

"What now? Tally ho and close it up?" asked Ahmed.

"I need to phone the prof first. She'll love to see one," said Connor.

"The prof?" Ahmed frowned.

"Professor Tankeray, Connor's PhD supervisor," Abby explained.

"She signed no end of secrecy stuff when she agreed to take me on," said Connor. "But she's been dying to get her hands on an anomaly."

Mr. Ahmed sighed. "Go on then. I imagine if these things really have started appearing again we'll need a scientific adviser on the team."

"That's Connor," said Abby firmly.

Ahmed grinned at her. "Scientific adviser's professorial assistant then."

Abby smiled back, finding herself liking the man.

"Absolutely 90% sure. So long as the detector isn't on the blink!" Connor was saying. "Sure. I'll see you later."

"We done?" asked Abby.

"Yeah, she's going to head down as soon as she's finished her three o'clock. Reckons she'll be here early evening."

* * *

There wasn't an official path down to the beach from anywhere near the pub. Of course, that hadn't stopped any number of drunken revelers from years past. Or sheep for that matter. A narrow earth walk, barely wide enough for one person, snaked down the steep cliff. A fence at the top and a stern-looking sign advised people to walk a mile to the west and use the official route down. Abby took an executive decision to ignore the sign and she ducked between the two wires of the fence, lowering her feet onto the path.

It wasn't actually difficult going. Although it was narrow, the path descended at a gentle rate and failed to peter out in the expanse of bare rock that Connor confidently predicted. They scrambled down it in single file. Abby insisted on taking the lead with Connor at the back and Kevin sandwiched safely between them. She wasn't really concerned that they would be attacked on such a narrow way, but it paid to be careful. Once they were on the beach she stopped them so she could do a slow walk from cliff to sea shore, and back again.

"Any sign of tracks?" asked Connor as she returned.

"Nah, but I wasn't really expecting any on this surface." Abby kicked at a pebble and it clattered away. 

"The anomaly's off that way," Connor gestured up the beach, away from Colwyn Bay.

It was a bracing day. There was a strong wind coming off the sea, but not so strong that you had to lean into it to make headway. 

Abby breathed deeply. "I love the countryside where we live, but there's something about the smell of the sea," she said.

"I come from Cardiff originally, reminds me of home a bit here, only without the urban decay," remarked Kevin.

"You don't sound welsh," said Connor with a frown.

"Don't look it either, but I am. I had all my Welshness educated out of me at vast expense. All that's left is a respectable baritone and a tendency to go misty-eyed over fields of daffodils in spring."

* * *

At the end of the beach the cliff jutted out into the sea. With a sinking heart Abby realised they were going to have to go back up it and over. She glanced at Kevin who was already slightly out of breath, with the locking device hugged close to his body. Sweat was running down his face and staining the collar of his shirt.

"Your suit is going to get ruined," commiserated Abby.

"Don't worry, old girl, it only comes from Top Man. I thought there would be some scrambling around from the photos, but I needed to look the part." Kevin made a move as if to straighten his tie but the locking device got in the way and he settle for a rueful shrug.

"No time like the present, I suppose," said Connor without enthusiasm.

There was a wider trail up this part of the cliff, with concrete stone steps set into it in places and a metal rail on one side where it became narrow. 

"We could have come down this way," Connor grumbled quietly but there was no rancor in it. He'd been as eager to get down to beach level as Abby had been.

"I miss having Jess telling us the optimal route to take," Abby observed.

At the top of the cliff there was a gentle path that would carry them along easily high above the level of the beach. Abby shielded her eyes from the sun and tried to make out the geometry of cliff and beach.

"Take the path?" suggested Kevin.

Connor frowned. "The anomaly is pretty close."

Abby walked to the far cliff edge and then got down on her hands and knees to peer over the edge. The cliff dropped away below her to what looked like a sheltered cove. There was a tiny beach and then a tumble of rocks and more cliff at the far side.

"How close?" she asked.

Connor flopped down beside her and frowned at his detector. "Very. If there's an overhang down there we might not be able to see the anomaly."

"That might explain why it's not been reported." There was another winding sheep trail of a path going down to the cove. Abby compared it to the inviting cliff path upon which Kevin remained, steadfast and forlorn. "I'm afraid we need to check out the cove down there," Abby said ruefully.

"I was afraid you were going to say something like that."

* * *

Abby led the way once more, scrambling down the narrow path with her EMD in one hand and the other against the cliff face next to her. Five minutes later and she was on the beach, this time with sand rather than pebbles beneath her feet. The anomaly was clear. It was directly ahead of her, hidden under the overhang of the cliff just as Connor had speculated.

"Wow!" said Kevin.

"Impressive aren't they," said Connor. "We think the light effect is caused by gravitational distortions on photons."

"Gravitational distortions? I don't remember reading anything about that!" said Kevin, sounding alarmed.

"Well, it's just a theory. No one's ever measured anything. It's possible the gravitational effect is displaced somehow or just too slight to measure. But the maths makes sense that way, sort of anyway."

"Come on, let's get this thing locked and then we can start looking for that dinosaur," Abby urged.

Connor took the locking device from Kevin and set it down near the anomaly, then he frowned. "Err, Abby, I think we've got a problem."

"What?" Abby stared at the device wondering if it had been bashed as they'd scrambled over the rocks. Then she saw that Connor was staring around the cove.

"High tide," Connor said.

"Oh!" Abby looked around the beach and saw what Connor had seen. A distinct seaweed line was visible about a foot up the cliff.

"Maybe it's a neap tide," said Kevin. "It probably won't even reach the bottom of the cliff if it is."

"We're never that lucky, mate." Connor stared at the anomaly and scratched his head.

"What time's high tide, do we know?" asked Abby.

Kevin already had an iPhone in his hand. "I've got an app for that. Hang on a minute. We've got about two hours. It's not a spring tide but I reckon we'll be paddling if we stay here."

Abby nodded. "Well, we'll leave the anomaly closed for the time being. We can spend the next hour or so having a look for the creature. Then we'll have to open up the anomaly, pack up and go."

Connor nodded and turned back to the locking device.

"Is it working?" asked Abby.

"Think so, just being careful." He tapped a control and Abby was relieved to see the narrow beam spring out and seal the anomaly.

"Should someone wait here and watch it?" asked Connor.

"I could, while you to go hunting this dinosaur of yours," suggested Kevin.

Abby shook her head. "You're not armed. I don't want something finding you when you're on your own."

"Connor then?"

Abby sighed. "You'd better stay here, love."

Connor grimaced in disappointment. "Say what, I'll come with you to check out the next beach. Then I'll come back and babysit this thing."

Abby frowned. "I don't like splitting up, but leaving this unwatched seems like it's asking for trouble."

"Just as far as the next beach, if there is something about then it'll be safer with both of us."

Abby nodded reluctantly. Neither option seemed a good one.

The far side of the cove wasn't as impassable as the way they had come. A landslide had covered the beach with a large boulder fall and then a rock shelf rose up and jutted out into the sea. They scrambled over the boulders until they came to a sandier beach on the far side.

"You'll be able to see tracks in the sand won't you?" asked Kevin.

"Not if the tide has washed them away. Let's take a look on the beach up above the high water mark. We may see something there." 

They walked up the beach. Before long their feet were sinking into dry sand. Abby stopped the two men and once more crossed the beach slowly from the high tide mark to the bottom of the cliff. She was about halfway across when she spotted largish indentations that looked out of place. She knelt down for a closer look.

"Well?" asked Kevin.

"Something went this way, that's for sure. Something pretty big." Abby scanned the ground noting the pattern of marks forming a trackway in the sand.

"We'll follow them in that direction," she decided pointing ahead of them and away from the cove and the anomaly.

They trekked up the beach which curved gently around the cliff. They hadn't gone very far when a creature became visible. It was up close to the cliff edge apparently grazing on scrubby bits of grass and moss growing out of the stony surface.

Kevin whistled. "My first real life dinosaur!"

"Don't get too carried away mate, they're not very touchy-feely as a rule," said Connor.

Abby giggled. "You're terribly blasé all of a sudden. When we first started this you would have been blown away by it."

Connor flashed her a grin. "Just being grown up and responsible."

"What is it? Do you know?" asked Kevin. 

Connor fished his phone out of his pocket. "I've made a few guesses, but let's cross-check against the database."

Kevin glanced at what he was doing and then his eyebrows shot up. "That database isn't supposed to be on the web."

"Don't worry, it's pretty secure, but it wasn't like I was going to let you lot lock away all my hard work. Just as well really."

Connor lifted his phone up and frowned. "Signal's not great mind."

"Looks a bit like a raptor," said Abby squinting along the beach.

"If it is a Pachycephalosaurus, like I think, then that would be about right. Might be herbivorous if we're lucky though."

Kevin snorted. "I've read the reports. We're never lucky."

"Dunno," Abby frowned at the creature. "It's certainly making short work of those plants."

"Could be omnivorous! Ha!" Connor beamed at his phone. 

"Well?" asked Abby. 

"Definitely could be a Pachycephalosaurus. That bony structure round its head is pretty distinctive and it's the right sort of size. It matches the artist's impression I've got, for what it's worth."

"But?" asked Abby. 

"Dunno, the limbs look wrong, but only the one species of Pachycephalosaurus has been identified. This could be a new one. Ah! They've only got a skull so I guess we can discount the limbs looking different. Herbivorous or Omnivorous for what it's worth."

Connor grinned and took a quick picture with the phone.

Abby scowled at him but shook her head indulgently.

"What now?" asked Kevin.

Connor frowned. "It's a bit of a way back to the anomaly, not to mention all those boulders. If we stun it we don't have a hope of moving it ourselves."

"Best not to stun it if possible anyway," said Abby. "It doesn't do them any good. If we had some back-up we could send them for food. We've lured dinosaurs back to anomalies that way enough times in the past."

"No back-up I'm afraid old girl," said Kevin. "Might be able to wangle us some at a later date, but it's strictly the three of us."

Abby snapped her fingers. "Professor Tankeray!"

"What about her?" Connor asked blankly. 

"She can bring vegetables."

"She's a Nobel prize-winning physicist!" he said indignantly.

"Who is on her way here to see the anomaly. Phone her up and tell her to bring some veggies. Tell her which path to take down to the beach while you're about it."

Connor sighed and rolled his eyes. Then pulled out his phone.

"What do we do?" asked Kevin.

"Find ourselves a safe vantage point, watch and wait," said Abby.

They looked around the beach. 

"If we climb up that rock shelf that sticks out into the sea, I reckon we can keep an eye on the Pachycephalosaurus and the anomaly at the same time," suggested Connor. "At least if we move out to the far end of it."

He gestured back down the beach where the tip of the rock jutted out beyond the curve of the cliff.

"It's as good a plan as any," Abby had to agree.

* * *

The rock jutted out some way into the sea from its starting point in the mass of boulders at the foot of the cliff. Its top was grassy and exceptionally windy but Connor was correct, from the vantage point they could see both the anomaly and, with the aid of some binoculars Kevin was carrying, the Pachycephalosaurs. They settled down to wait.

"Sandwiches?" asked Kevin suddenly.

"What?" asked Connor.

"Sandwiches." He fished around in his backpack and produced three rather forlorn packets of sandwiches.

"You are not at all like Lester," said Connor, helping himself to a BLT.

Kevin grinned. "I'm very junior. I'm working on it though."

"Tip from the wise, don't feed the staff sandwiches, before you know it they'll be mobbing your picnics."

Abby snorted and picked up a cheese and pickle. "Thanks, Kevin."

She passed the binoculars and Kevin peered through them at the Pachycephalosaurus which continued to graze on the cliff edge.

"It definitely likes the plants," said Kevin.

Abby shook her head. "It could just be very hungry. We're down wind of it at the moment so it probably has no idea we're here. We should keep it that way as long as possible."

"Ahoy there!" bellowed a voice.

Abby winced and they turned to see a grey-haired woman in a tweed A-line skirt marching across the beach below. She waved enthusiastically and Connor waved back.

"Is that the professor?" asked Kevin.

Abby nodded. "She's OK, but a bit of a force of nature."

Connor was already scrambling down the the rocks. 

Abby looked beyond him at the water and then back up the beach towards the Pachycephalosaurus."

"Problem?" asked Kevin.

"I don't think we have much time before high tide."

Connor and the professor were up at the anomaly. Abby watched as Connor looked up at her and waved. She pointed out towards the sea and then at her watch.

Connor fished out his mobile phone. He must have downloaded Kevin's high tide app.

Abby watched as Professor Tankeray strode across the beach towards them towing Connor along in her wake. The two scientists began climbing up the outcrop and then walked along the grassy top towards Abby and Kevin.

"Looks like the tide may beat us to it!" Tankeray said as soon as they were in ear shot.

"We've got a Pachycephalosaur to get back through." Abby pointed down the beach.

"So I gather. I've packed a load of stuff in my rucksack. Do you think we'll have time?"

Kevin coughed discreetly and the professor suddenly focused on him. "Forgive my manners! Professor Dinah Tankeray, at your service."

"Kevin Ahmed, home office."

They shook hands.

"I think we should try to get it back through," said Abby. "Otherwise we'll have to wait until the tide has gone out again."

Kevin rubbed his hands together. "Oh well! Tally ho!"

Tankeray blinked. "Where did you pick up language like that?"

"Wodehouse mostly. But I like the sound of it."

The professor shook her head and then scowled up the beach as she shrugged out of her rucksack. "I hope you don't expect me to make encouraging animal noises. I can't stand the things. It's why I usually stick to fundamental particles. Much more predictable on the whole."

Abby grinned. "We should manage. Just stay out of its way."

"No worries about that."

Abby rummaged through the rucksack. The professor had brought a good range of fruit, a few vegetables and even some raw meat wrapped up in a plastic bag. Abby collected up an armful of apples.

"Connor, can you unlock the anomaly? Then we'll try to lure it through."

"Sure thing." Connor trotted back down the to the beach and the anomaly locking device.

"You'll have to hurry. Connor's going to get his feet wet if he isn't quick," remarked Tankeray.

Abby just nodded.

Connor switched off the device and then picked it up and jogged towards them and their rock. He was about halfway there and Abby was already beginning the descent of the other side towards the Pachycephalosaurus when there came a loud roar came from the anomaly.

"That doesn't sound good," murmured Kevin.

"It isn't good." Abby dumped the apples back in Tankeray's rucksack and checked the charge on her EMD. Connor turned round and started jogging backwards, his eyes now fixed upon the anomaly. Suddenly a second Pachycephalosaurs charged out of the shining light, its head lowered.

"Connor!" Abby shouted.

Self-preservation taking over, Connor turned his back on the anomaly and legged it to their rocky outcrop. Abby bit her lip and scanned their surroundings. It was a fair scramble until you reached the flat area they had picnicked on. If the creatures couldn't climb they should be safe enough where they were.

"Kevin, Professor, stay here!" ordered Abby.

Abby scrambled down towards Connor, her EMD trained on the Pachycephalosaur but she really didn't want to stun it. The tide was coming in and there was little chance of moving it once it was down. Connor reached the rocks.

"Grab this will you!" He thrust the locking device into her arms, forcing her to holster the gun and leaving her with no way to protect Connor.

Connor scrabbled at the rock.

"Hurry!" Abby urged, half in irritation, half genuine concern, as he slowly clambered up the sides, slipping over seaweed in his panic.

He squeaked as he flopped onto the shelf next to her and pulled his feet up, just as the dinosaur's head rammed into the rock below. There was a splash and then they were both doused with spray as a large wave suddenly broke on the rocks seaward of them. The Pachycephalosaur shied away in surprise, moving further up the beach away from the waves.

"We need to get up higher!" said Abby.

"You're telling me!"

Between them they managed to manhandle the locking device up the rocks and then the four of them were perched on the grassy platform. The first wave reached the boulders at the foot of the rock, swirled and then retreated.

"What now?" asked Kevin cheerfully.

Abby sighed and hunched in her windproof. "We wait for the tide to go out."

"And hope it doesn't rain," added Connor.

"Time for coffee then," he said and pulled a thermos flask out of his apparently bottomless backpack.

"Are you sure you're a civil servant?" Abby asked, gratefully accepting a cup.

"Yes, why?"

"No offense mate, but we've never met one as friendly as you are," offered Connor.

Kevin shrugged. "You know how it is. I like to blend in."

"I'm not sure the old girls and tally hos exactly blend."

"You'd be surprised. The Home Office is full of the old guard."

"What's that dratted dinosaur doing now?" complained the Professor.

Abby looked around. The new Pachycephalosaurus was being driven among the boulders by the tide. Its feet slipped on the large rocks but it was able to make its way. Something similar must have happened to the first one last time the tide came in and now the second was being driven onto the same stretch of beach.

"Uh oh!" murmured Connor.

The two Pachycephalosaurs spotted each other and both broke into a loud cacophony of raucous screams.

"I'm no expert on animal behaviour, but aren't they squaring off against each other?" asked Kevin.

"You're probably correct. That puts the odds on them both being male," Abby sighed.

"Are they going to fight to the death?" asked Tankeray.

"Probably not. These things are usually just displays of dominance and one or the other will back down fairly quickly. It depends a bit on how territorial the creatures are."

"And if they're territorial?" asked Kevin.

"Well given they don't appear to be good climbers, there's no way for the loser to get out of the other's territory. Could get nasty," Abby agreed.

The two dinosaurs both lowered their heads at that moment and then charged each other across the sand. Abby winced as the hefty skulls clashed against each other.

"That's got to hurt!" exclaimed Connor.

"You said they had thick skulls," Abby pointed out.

The new creature was a good deal larger than the first. Abby guessed it was full grown and the other was possibly a juvenile. Where the first was a light sandy colour, the new one was a darker brown. It paused to roar a second time as the two creatures circled, lining up for a second charge. This time the larger one knocked the first over with the force of the blow. The charge carried it past and over the smaller creature. Abby felt Kevin flinch beside her.

"Ouch!" whispered Connor.

"I hope that little one has the sense to give in," murmured the professor.

It looked like the little one did have the sense because it was now backing away from the larger dinosaur with its head held low in a submissive fashion. The larger one bellowed and took a step towards it, herding it backwards until it was trapped against the far cliff.

The larger one lowered its head again.

"We have to do something?" said Kevin firmly.

"Such as?" asked Tankeray.

Abby frowned and peered down the side of the rock. They'd get their feet wet if they moved down now, but there wasn't any risk of getting carried away by the current.

"The poor creature's trapped," said Kevin.

"That's nature for you. One of the reasons I try to avoid it," Tankeray snapped.

Abby heard an edge of distress in the woman's voice and glanced her way. Like Kevin, she was staring fixedly across the beach to where the two animals were fighting. The larger one was grappling with the smaller, teeth snapping around its neck. Abby checked the power setting on the EMD and began scrambling down the rocks. 

"Where are you two going?" asked Tankeray.

"See what we can do," said Connor, and Abby realised he was just behind her. 

"I'm going to risk stunning them. They're above the high tide mark there and if I keep the setting low they won't be out for long."

Abby splashed down into the sea and grimaced as the water came up over the tops of her shoes and trickled down into her socks. She waded out onto the sand and then tramped along the beach, feeling her water-logged trainers squelch. Connor followed her.

"Low setting, yeah?"

Abby nodded and reached over to check his gun, setting the intensity to a short low burst. 

"Err... Abby, get a move on," said Connor nervously. 

Abby glanced up to see that the larger Pachycephalosaur had abandoned its current victim and had turned towards them, head lowered once more. Abby braced herself firmly in the sand and raised her EMD, sighting on the creature.

"Errr.. Abby."

"Get to one side, Connor, slowly. If I don't bring it down, then you shoot it before it reaches me."

"Right, yeah! Is that a good idea?"

"Just move, Connor, and be ready, OK."

She felt him move and hoped he was taking up a sensible position. The Pachycephalosaur started to run towards her. Abby's brain whirled trying to pick the optimal distance. It was still several yards away when she squeezed the trigger on the EMD and watched the energy arc out towards the beast. It bellowed and reared upwards and then crashed elegantly sideways to the sand.

Abby rushed forwards anxious to check for a pulse and see that the dinosaur was unharmed.

"Abby, the other one!"

She looked back to see Kevin standing on top of the rock and gesticulating wildly.

"Shit!" she heard Connor say and saw that he was running up the beach. The smaller Pachycephalosaur was lying on its side in the sand.

Hastily, Abby scrambled to her feet and began to run across the beach after Connor, hampered by the soft sand and her damp socks. 

"There, there, girl!" Connor was muttering when she reached him, albeit from a safe distance.

"Boy," she corrected.

"You don't know that, women can be vicious too," he complained.

Abby dropped down by the creature's side. It had several long raking cuts in his haunches and a nasty looking bite mark on the neck.

"I brought the first aid kit from the car when we set out," said Connor suddenly, shrugging his pack off his shoulders and dumping it on the sand.

"It's going to take more than a few plasters and some antiseptic," Abby muttered, kneeling next to the creature and lifting its head up into her lap.

"No, the big animal one that you keep in the boot."

Abby was amazed as Connor hauled out the hefty bag. "How did you know we would need it?" she asked.

"I didn't but I spotted it and just sort of grabbed it in case. I couldn't remember what we used to have in those Hiluxes."

Abby quickly opened the bag and pulled out antibiotics, antiseptic swabs and some glue on stitches. The sound of arguing made her look up from her work. Kevin and the professor were marching up the beach towards them. Even though Kevin's trousers were rolled up to his knees they were splashed with a line of water at the bottom. His shoes hung around his neck tied by their laces. The professor was also barefoot though there was no sign of her shoes. She had probably left them behind on the rock.

"You really have ruined that suit now mate," Connor observed.

"How's the dinosaur?" asked Kevin.

"I can patch him up," said Abby. "Whether he'll be able to survive in his own time I'm not sure."

"Best to give him a chance though, I suppose," said the Professor.

"Web of time and all that," added Connor.

The professor snorted but didn't contradict him. Abby tuned them out and set to work. She had to move quickly because the Pachycephalosaur was already attempting to rise.

"Come on, you two! Help hold him steady," said the professor suddenly and then there were more hands, helping to keep the dinosaur down as Abby did her best to clean up the injuries.

Once she was done she shooed the rest of them away and rose carefully next to the dinosaur. She kept within its sight but stood slightly to one side with a hand on the ridges of its neck. With gentle pressure she began to urge it in the direction of the anomaly. It skittered a bit, both around the fallen body of the other Pachycephalosaur and in the narrow gap where the tide was lapping at the base of the cliff. Abby's feet got wet again as she urged the creature to paddle through the edge of the ocean, making low noises of encouragement and then, finally they were at the anomaly. She moved backwards and gave it a shove on its rump. It started in surprise and then bolted through the anomaly.

She splashed back towards the others. "One down and one to go!" she said.

She checked on the sleeping dinosaur once more and scowled across at the rock where their provisions remained.

"How long until the tide turns?" she asked.

"Not long," said Connor. "Half an hour maybe, then probably another half hour before it's shallow enough to wade through."

* * *

The sun came out as they waited. Abby basked in its warm glow, sitting close to the fallen dinosaur and keeping a weather eye out for signs that it was coming around. After a bit of thought she took her wet shoes and socks off and left them to dry in the sun.

Connor and Professor Tankeray wandered down the beach to stand in the shallows and watch the anomaly. Even though the professor's pack remained stranded on the central rock, Connor's contained plenty of measuring equipment and they were soon engrossed in theories. Abby chuckled a little to herself at the sight of Connor standing on the edge of the sea, his trousers rolled up to his knees, juggling an iPad and taking notes while Professor Tankeray peered at various bits of equipment. Every-so often Connor would gesticulate wildly and Abby knew he was more than holding his own in the discussion.

"How's the patient?" asked Kevin, breaking into her thoughts.

"He'll be OK. The breathing is steady, which is the main thing."

"Do you really think this is the first of more of these anomalies?"

"Well Connor is the expert, but yeah. He said they weren't over last time and he was proved right."

"Lester isn't going to like this at all. He thought it was all over." Kevin looked distinctly woebegone.

Abby actually laughed. "Lester's harmless underneath it all and he loves us really."

Kevin snorted. "That remains to be seen. I think he's taken the reappearance as a personal affront."

"Sounds like him. Bet he's loving it though."

Abby smiled and took a deep breath of sea air. She knew that only a few hours ago she had been filled with dread at the thought of the anomalies once again intruding into their lives, but just at this moment sitting on a beach in the sunshine, she could only really think of the wonder they presented.

Connor and Tankeray were edging back into the other cove as the tide receded, still talking excitedly.

Abby glanced at her watch and then down at the Pachycephalosaur.

"If my calculations are correct this will be coming round soon. We need to lay our trail back to the anomaly."

"No rest for the wicked eh?" Kevin scrambled to his feet and dusted the sand from his increasingly battered looking suit. "I'll go and get the fruit and veg ready."

Abby stood up as well and eyed her shoes and socks dubiously. She'd have to put them back on to climb up to the car but for now she was probably better off with bare feet. She double-checked the EMD in case she needed to use it again.

Kevin staggered back to her with the bag. Abby helped herself to a few apples. "Take the rest and lay a trail up to the anomaly. Don't go through it, though."

Kevin nodded and set off across the beach. The Pachycephalosaur stirred and Abby placed an apple just beyond its nose and then backed away a few feet. Its eyes flickered open and it lurched in an uncoordinated fashion. For a moment Abby thought it wouldn't be able to get back on its feet but then it staggered upwards and lunged forwards grabbing the apple. Abby backed away slightly and watched it track her motion. She tossed a second apple slightly towards it and watched as it staggered forwards. 

It was still groggy, which was probably just as well because it could almost certainly run faster than she could and she didn't fancy her chances if it decided to charge her. She backed away, the creature tracking her with obvious interest and she threw an apple slightly ahead of her so it fell into the sand, next to a large carrot Kevin had dropped.

The Pachycephalosaur ran for the apple and then nudged at the carrot, before eating that as well. Abby jogged up the beach to stand by a lettuce.

"Come on, boy! Come on!" she said encouragingly.

Cautiously the creature followed. Abby kept a wary few yards away from it as she backed along the beach and made sure her EMD was within easy reach. She glanced up as she rounded into the neighbouring cove and was relieved to see that Connor, Tankeray and Kevin were all a good distance from the anomaly. 

They were halfway across the sand when two jet planes suddenly roared out of nowhere, zooming the length of the beach and then up into the air. Abby cursed as the Pachycephalosaur started. Moments later it had lowered its head and charged. Without thinking, Abby turned and ran for the anomaly, as she approached she dived and rolled. Bright flashes of light sparkled in her vision but then she was up and out the other side, still on the same beach. There was a bellowing roar, the Pachycephalosaur was upon her and then it was gone, through the anomaly.

Connor came skidding along the beach, clutching the locking device. He plonked it down in the sand and switched it on. The anomaly sealed once more.

Abby took a deep breath.

"Close one, eh!" said Connor.

"Yeah, close."

Kevin and Tankeray came back along the beach.

"What now?" asked Kevin.

Connor scanned the cover thoughtfully, "Given a little time I can mount the locking device on the overhang. I reckon it'll be high enough not to be affected by the tide, though if there's a storm that won't do it any good."

Tankeray checked some notes on her iPad. "I doubt this anomaly will last until the next high tide. Not if Connor's calculations and predictions are correct, anyway."

Connor brushed bright red. "Magnetic field's not strong enough," he muttered, as if that was an explanation. "Doubt it'll last another hour, to be honest."

"Right!" Abby nodded at the assembled group. "In that case we'll wait here until it closes and then, I think, we'll go to the pub."

"What do we do there?" asked Kevin.

Abby elbowed him. "Me, Connor and the professor will have a drink and a meal while you phone Lester and tell him he needs to get a team together again, with some proper support for moving sleeping dinosaurs."

One hour, ten minutes and thirty-two seconds (Connor was timing it) later the anomaly quietly closed. The sun was low, but had not yet quite slipped below the cliff tops. Abby stood up and stretched her legs.

"Time to go then," asked Kevin.

She nodded. "Time to go."

She slipped her arm through Connor's. He looked down at her and grinned and she smiled back. They started off up the beach, trailing Kevin and Professor Tankeray in their wake.

By the time they reached _The Three Tuns_ the sun had set, although there was still a deep purple glow in the sky. Abby paused before entering the pub, still arm in arm with Connor. Kevin and the Professor disappeared through the door in animated conversation. Abby took a deep breath, savouring the sea air once more.

"You OK, love?" Connor asked.

"Never better." 

The anomalies were overwhelming and terrify and horrifically dangerous, but this was what they did.


End file.
